Planning Permission and Strategy in Windsor
Planning permission and strategy in Windsor means working out how a site can win consent for new homes before anyone spends money on drawings. Land to Homes reviews local planning policy, constraints and access, chooses the right route, such as outline or full permission, and manages the application from pre-application advice through to a decision.
Windsor · SL4Free site appraisal
Tell us about your land and we will call you back. No cost, no obligation.
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- Free site appraisalNo cost, no obligation
- Legal fees coveredReasonable fees, on options and promotion
- Nothing to pay upfrontOn promotion: we fund planning
- Direct purchaseSuitable sites, with or without planning
- UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI
Planning and building around Windsor
We cover Windsor as part of Berkshire. It is about 16 miles east of Reading, around postcode district SL4. The nearest other places we cover are Slough (2 miles), Egham (4 miles) and Staines (5 miles). Windsor is part of England’s South East region.
Typical work around Windsor: schemes that need redesigning to work, fields that need a masterplan before an application and plots where access or drainage is the sticking point. Planning in Windsor follows England’s rules: the National Planning Policy Framework sets national policy and the council’s Local Plan sets local policy.
Send us the site address near Windsor and we will tell you what we think the planning route is.
How we work in Windsor
Early engagement
We seek pre-application advice from the council where it is offered, and talk to neighbours and community groups before submitting, so concerns are dealt with early.
Planned around buildable homes
As part of the S&K Group, a construction and property group, we shape schemes around homes that can be built and delivered, not just consented.
Honest about risk
No one can guarantee planning permission. We tell you plainly where the risks sit, what could be done about them and when a site is unlikely to succeed.
Nothing to pay upfront
Where we promote land, we fund the planning work. They are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with planning permission.
The English system, as it applies in Windsor
Selling development land in Windsor usually starts with heads of terms, a short written summary of price, conditions and fees, before solicitors draft the contract. In England the sale becomes binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, with the title then registered at HM Land Registry. The buyer normally pays Stamp Duty Land Tax. On option and promotion agreements with Land to Homes, your reasonable legal fees are covered, with the amount agreed in the heads of terms.
In England, applications are judged against the National Planning Policy Framework and the council's Local Plan. Most applications must also deliver biodiversity net gain, and larger schemes usually involve a Section 106 agreement and, where a council charges it, the Community Infrastructure Levy. Permission in principle is an extra route available only in England.
| Local planning document | Local Plan |
|---|---|
| Land registration | HM Land Registry |
| How a sale becomes binding | A land sale becomes legally binding on exchange of contracts and finishes on completion, after which the buyer registers the title with HM Land Registry. |
| Developer contributions | Section 106 planning obligations, plus the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) where the council charges it |
Questions about Planning Permission and Strategy in Windsor
Who pays for a planning application?
Normally whoever makes the application pays the council fee and the cost of the surveys and reports. Under a promotion agreement with Land to Homes, we fund the planning work, and those costs are only recovered from the sale proceeds if the land sells with planning permission. On a direct purchase without planning, the planning cost and risk become ours.
What happens if planning permission is refused?
You can usually appeal, submit a revised application that deals with the reasons for refusal, or wait for planning policy to change. The right choice depends on the reasons given. We review the decision notice, take specialist advice where needed and explain the options. Under a promotion agreement, further planning work is funded by us on the terms set out in the agreement.
What is a Section 106 agreement?
A Section 106 agreement is a legal agreement between a council and a landowner or developer that makes a development acceptable in planning terms, for example by securing affordable homes or contributions to schools and roads. It applies in England and Wales. Scotland uses Section 75 agreements and Northern Ireland uses Section 76 planning agreements for similar purposes.
What is permission in principle?
Permission in principle is a route in England that settles whether a site is suitable for housing-led development, separately from the technical details, which follow in a technical details consent. It is available only in England. Scotland has planning permission in principle, which works more like an outline permission. Wales and Northern Ireland use outline applications to establish the principle.
Do you take on planning and building work in Windsor?
Yes, on sites we buy, option, promote or develop in partnership in Windsor and elsewhere in Berkshire, including Sandhurst, Bracknell and Maidenhead. We do not take on planning or building work for third parties as a consultancy.
Read more: Planning Permission and Strategy · Guide: Selling part of your garden: what you need to know